Lubricant-dispensing apparatus



June 13, 1950 GRAY 2,510,,972

LUBRICANT-DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 20, 1945 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 13, 1950 R. J. GRAY 2,510,972

LUBRICANT-DISPENSING APPARATUS 7 Filed Oct. 20, 1945 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 6 6 INVENTOR. 4

June 13, 1950 R. J. GRAY 2,510,972

LUBRICANT-DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 20, 1945 s Sheets-Sheet 5 1 N VEN TOR.

RusseflJ 7 Gray June 13, 1950 R. J. GRAY 2,510,972

LUBRICANT-DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 20, 1945 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 NI 'EN TOR. fiussefl cl Crag" BY June 13, 1950 R. J. GRAY 2,510,972

LUBRICANT-DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 20, 1945 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 June 13, 1950 Y 2,510,972

LUBRICANT-DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 20, 1945 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 "l 0 106 50 n 3- 62 107 21 9 if? 47 a Z4 114 mm 14 a5 10 [NV/51V TOR Patented June 13, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LUBRICANT-DISPENSING APPARATUS Russell J. Gray, Excelsior, Minm, assignor, by mcsne assignments, to Gray Company, Inc., Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Application October 20, 1945, Serial No. 623,592

6 Claims.

from time to time, from any original container or from any other source, and from which reservoir or storage-compartment the lubricant is dispensed by the combined action of a manuallyprimedspring-operated low-pressure pump within said reservoir and of a manually-operated high-pressure booster at or near the discharge end of the hose leading from the low-pressure pump.

This invention is an improvement over my copending application, Serial Number 623,591, filed as of even date with this application, said application No. 623,591 having matured into Patent No. 2,499,061, dated February 28, 1950.

One of the principal objectsof the present invention is to provide a lubricant-dispenser of such construction that it may be manufactured inexpensively, yet so that it will -be durable, and of greater utility in actual use or service, and more convenient to handle not only from the standpoint ofdispensing the grease but from the standpoint of loading the grease or lubricant into the dispenser and from the standpoint of keeping the lubricant free of dust and dirt which tend to collect on lubricating apparatus when in actual use in the field, and by which high-pressure lubrication may be obtained eiiectively at low cost. A further object is to provide a lubricantdispenser of the type which has a booster pump at or near the extremity of the lubricant hose leading from the low-pressure pump, with a check valve on the booster pump and normally closed to prevent the flow of lubricant induced by the low-pressure pump but to permit such flow either under the high-pressure created by the booster pump, or under the high-pressure created by manual operation of a lever-arm which is connected with the piston of the low-pressure pump.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear more fully from the following description and accompanying drawings.

In the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters indicate like parts,

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of one 2 embodiment of the high-pressure lubricant-dispenser of the present invention.

Figure 2 represents a vertical cross-sectional view of the same embodiment, of the aforesaid high-pressure lubricant-dispenser of the present invention.

Figure 3 represents a, vertical cross-sectional view of the upper portion of the manually-primed spring-actuated low-pressure pump or greaseloader forming a part of the aforesaid lubricantdispenser, viewed on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 represents a rear elevational view of the aforesaid lubricant-dispenser, viewed generally along line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 represents a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the manually-operated booster forming part of the aforesaid lubricant-dispenser (taken in the plane of its symmetry).

Figure 6 represents a perspective view of another booster, forming a part of the high-pressure lubricant-dispensing of the present invention.

Figure 7 represents a section on line 'l--'l of Fi ure 6.

Figure 8 represents a perspective view of another embodiment or form of construction of the present invention.

Figure 9 represents a fragmentary perspective view of the high-pressure lubricant-dispenser of the present invention shown with the lid raised and turned into a position suitable for filling the container; this view being intended to represent the refill position of the device both of the construction of Figure l as well as of the construction of Figure 8.

Figure 10 represents a vertical cross-sectional \lew, taken generally along line Ill-l0 of Figure 8.

For the purposes of illustrating the several forms, embodiments, phases and extensions of the present invention, there are shown in the accompanying drawings, exemplifying forms thereof, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which the several forms, embodiments, phases and extensions of the present invention consist, can be variously arranged and organized and that the present invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and organizations of the instrumentalities as herein shown and described.

The lubricant-dispenser of the present invention includes a generally upright cylindrical sheetmetal container I having a sump-like bottom 2; the outer flanged periphery 3 of the bottom 2 being united with a cylindrical sheet-metal sidewall I either by means of a head 4 as shown in I to hold the cap-nut rotatably within the central lid-opening 81 without permitting the cap-nut 88 to change its axial position within said hole.

By turning the handle 82, the cap-nut 88 may be screwed onto, or screwed oil, the bolt l4, so as screw-threadedly to lock or unlock the lid I8 in relation to the cylindrical body I of the container. The upper horizontal portion of the handle 82 is placed directly beneath the lever arm 48 so that it will act as a lower stop or rest for the lever-arm.

A side-opening 88 may also be provided in the lid I8 into which the nozzle or coupler 81 at the free end of the outlet-conduit 88 may be inserted, when the device is not in use, so that lubricant flowing out of the coupler 81 will drain back into the container. If desired, instead of merely having an opening into which the coupler 81 and outlet-conduit 88 can be inserted, a tubular socket 88 (Fig. 4) may be secured to the lid l8, over the hole 88, to give furthersupport to the booster 42 when the dispenser is not in use. The coupler 81 may be any high-pressure coupler, such as the button-head type, the "bayonet type, or the multi-jawed chuck type commonly called the hydraulic" coupler; the coupler shown in the drawings beingthe lastmentioned kind.

As shown in Fig. 5, the booster 42 includes a generally tubular body 18, having an inlet opening 1| which is preferably screw-threaded, for the reception of the screw-threaded ferrule or hose connector 12 at the free end of the hose 32. The bore of the body 18 is constricted at 13, and a tubular valve-seat member 14, of suitably hard metal, is inserted, upon which the ball check valve 15 is adapted to seat, within the valve chamber 18.

Above the valve chamber 18 the bore 11 is enlarged somewhat, forming a shoulder 18, upon which a valve retainer wire or perforate disc 18 rests, for limiting the unseating motion of valve 15.

A cylindrical plunger 88 is slidably mounted in the upper or outer end of the bore 11. To the inner end of the cylindrical plunger or plug a generally cup-shaped leather or composition washer 8| is secured by means of the screw 82 threaded into a tapped axial opening in the plunger 88.

A helical compression spring 83 is operatively interposed between the screw 82 and the shoulder 18, constantly to urge the plunger 88 outwardly.

A generally L-shaped lever arm 84, preferably of U-shaped cross section, has a pivot pin 85 extending through the side flanges 88 thereof, at one end of the arm. The side flanges 88, at that end, embrace the perforated or apertured lugor ear 81 carried by the main body 18 of the booster, and the pivot pin 85 extends through the corresponding pivot hole in the pivot ing 81. A pair of notches 88 are formed in the upper end of. the booster body 18, of a depth slightly in excess of the maximumstroke of the plunger 88, for giving clearance to the pin 88 carried by the lever arm 84, between the flanges 88 thereof.

The flanges 88 also generally embrace the end of the body 18. By swinging the lever arm in the direction of the arrow 88, the pin 88, hearing against the outer end of the plunger 88, causes the plunger 88 to be moved inwardly, compressing the spring 83 and thereby expelling a charge of grease (or other lubricant) outwardly in the direction of the arrow 8|, past the spring-pressed ball check valve 82 in the check valve housing 83, which is screwed into the tapped boss 84 of the booster housing. The valve-closing spring is held in place by artubular screw plug 88,

screw-threaded into the valve housing 83, and the compression of the spring 88 may be adjusted by varying the position of the screw plug 88 by inserting a screw driver into a slot 81 of the outer end of the plug 88.

The size of the. spring 88, in relation to the area at the valve seat 88 against which the valve 82 seats, and the adjustment of the plug 88, are so selected that the valve 82 will not be unseated by-the fluid-pressure against the valve 82 in the direction of the arrow 8| caused by compression of the spring 4| in the pump cylinder l8, even in the position of the highest compression of said spring 4|, namely, even in the highest position to which piston 38 can be raised. Thus, the fluid-pressure produced by the piston 38 and spring 4|, while sufllcient to feed the grease or lubricant into the'booster, and up to the valve 82, is insuflicient to unseat the valve 82. However, when the plunger 88 is moved in the direc-- tion of the arrow 88, Fig. 5, the valve 15 is seated. and the increased pressure produced within the chamber 11 unseats the valve 82 and delivers a charge of grease through the tubular stem 88 and the coupler 81, into the fitting through which the bearing is to be lubricated.

A slot I88 is formed in the central webbing of the lever arm 84, intermediate its two sideflanges 88 thereof, through which valve-housing 83 extends. The portion of the web pressed out of the opening I88 serves to form an abutment |8|, which bears against the valve-housing 83 in the outermost position of lever arm 84.

Thus, the booster 42 not only serves as a manually-operated high-pressure pump, but also as a manually-operated control-valve on the end of the low-pressure hose 32, because no flow takes place until the lever-arm 84 is operated; the unseating of the valve 82 being effected by the hydraulic pressure produced by the operation of the lever-arm 84.

The low-pressure feeder pump within the container I is primed manually by raising the lever arm 48 upwardly in the direction of the arrow I82, Fig. 2, by gripping the portion 5| thereof, while resting one foot on the footrest 8 of the base 1. in order that the dispenser may not be raised off the ground while leverarm is lifted upwardly against the force of the spring 4|.

The raising of the lever-arm 48 raises the piston 38 against the resistance of the spring 4|, and sucks grease or lubricant into the cylinder |8 in the space between piston 38 and the valve seat 31. When the lever-arm 48 is'released, it will stay in the raised position, because (assuming that the tube 25 and hose 32 and booster 42 have previously been filled with grease, by successive priming strokes of the piston 38) the grease drawn in past the foot valve disc 38 will be trapped between the foot valve 38 and the piston 38, and will not be released therefrom except as forced out, in successive small charges, by the repeated operations of the booster 42.

Thus, while the container serves to contain 25, 30 or 35 lbs. of lubricant under no pressure, the lower end of the pump cylinder serves as a secondary grease reservoir in which a pound or two of grease is drawn in at a time, and held in reserve, under spring pressure, to be drawn upon by the operation of the booster 42. Hence one loading of the lower end of the cylinder is (by one up-stroke of the lever-arm) will supply 7. grease under low pressure to the booster 42 for a considerable length of time, and sufiieient to lubricate many bearings of the kind commonly used on automobiles and farm machinery and industrial machinery. When the secondary supply in the bottom of the cylinder It has been exhausted, it is merely necessary to raise the lever-arm 49 again.

When the container has been emptied or substantially emptied, the handle 92 is turned so as to unscrew the cap-nut 59 from the bolt I4, and the lid I9 is lifted upwardly by means of the handle 42, whereupon the pump-cylinder I9 is slipped upwardly through its loosely retaining straps, I9 and I1, and the lid then turned around into the position shown in Figure 9, where the lid and.

pump will come to rest without further attention or without need for further manual support. In this position the container I may then be filled from any source, and when it has been filled the lid is turned around into alignment with the body of the container and is telescoped down over the body, and the cap-nut is then screwed onto the bolt I4 by turning the handle 62 in the opposite direction.

In another form of construction shown in Figs. 8 and 10, an extensible and adjustable springanchorage rod I may be telescoped into the tubular portion SI of the lever-arm 49, to a vari able extent, and onto the hook I carried by the anchorage rod, the upper flattened and eyeleted end II" of the upper 01 a pair of springhousing telescopin tubes I09 and I99 is hung.

The lower telescoping tube I09, having a simlar flattened and eyeleted end H9, is in turn affixed to the hook II I fastened to the lower foot-rest portion 8 of the base member I. To the transverse spring-anchorage pins I I2 and H3, extending through the upper and lower ends of theupper and lower telescoping tubes I09 and I09 respectively, the upper and lower ends of a helical tension spring I I4 are secured, so as to exert a downward pull on the lever-arm 49 and thereby to maintain the secondary supply of grease (in the lower end of the cylinder I9) under low pressure.

A generally L-shaped hose-retainer IIS (Figs. 1 and 2) may be spot welded or otherwise secured in a horizontal web portion of the lever arm 49, near the pivoted end thereof, so that the hose 32 may be wrapped, in a loose coil, about the projecting hinged end of the lever-arm 49, and so that the hose-coil will be prevented from sliding of! the hinged end of the lever-arm 49. Thus the hose may be supported without contact with the fioor or ground where dirt would be picked up, and thus movement of the dispenser as a whole is facilitated.

The lubricant-dispenser of the present invention may be carried about, with one hand, by simply lifting it up by the handle 62, provided the lid is secured to the container. For carrying in one hand, the handle 62 is preferably turned until it is in alignment with lever-arm 49, and the lever-arm brought down into a resting position against the top of the handle 62, as shown generally in Figure 1. The handle 62 also facilitates the removal of the lid and swinging it, together with associated parts, around to the position of Fig. 9.

Ii the secondary grease-supply in the lower end of the cylinder I8 has not been fully exhausted, and it is desired to bring the lever arm 49 down against the top of the handle 92, this may be done by inserting the coupler 91 into the "I 8 socket 89 above the hole 42 in the top of the dispenser, and then bearing down on the handle portion SI of the lever-arm 49. The force thus exerted on the piston 38 then augments the energy of the compressed spring 4i, and the combination of the two forces is then suiiicient to build up enough fluid-pressure in the chamber II of the booster 42, in and of itself, to unseat the valve 92 and thus to obtain a continuous discharge of lubricant through the nozzle 91, back into the container I, without the need for operating the handle 94 of the booster 42.

In Figures 6 and '1, another form of boosterand-valve is shown in which the nipple H9, to which the hose 32 is secured, is swiveled to the inlet end of the booster body 10*; the nipple II! having an enlarged flange III at its inner end, and a sleeve I I9, swiveled on nipple I I6, is screwthreaded into the end of the body III rotatabiy to hold nipple lit in place. A generally eupshaped sealing washer or gasket II9 fits within the enlarged bore I29 in the body 10', and is pressed against the end of the flange III of the nipple 6, by a helical compression spring I2I (preferably with a metallic washer I22 intervening).

In this form of construction the handle 84 is pivoted to the pivot pin -41 through an intervening link or pair of links I23, the upper ends of which are pivoted to the handle 44 by pivot pin 95-h. In this form of construction a pressure pad or thrust pad I24 is provided within the U-shaped interior of the upper part of the handle 94, with a depression or socket I25 therein, in which is seated the upper button I29 of the plunger assembly from the booster. The plunger assembly includes the piston I21, having two or more slots I29, along the side thereof to permit fluid-flow through the exit opening I29 when the plunger is depressed, and the button I25, which is screw-threadedly secured to the piston I2 I by a threaded extension I30 of the piston. A cup-shaped sealing washer or gasket I3I intervening piston I21 and the button I29 serves to eifect a fluid-tight seal against the passage of fluid past the piston I21.

The hose and swivel connection shown in Figure 7 may also be applied to the booster shown in Figures 4 and 5.

Having described embodiments of my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A lubricant-dispenser including a lubricantstorage reservoir-container, a manually primed and spring-discharged low-pressure supply-cylinder disposed within said reservoir-container andhaving a valved inlet near the bottom oi said reservoir-container and having an outlet exterior thereto, a piston and piston-rod within said supply-cylinder, a, spring urging said piston and piston-rod in a direction tending to expel any lubricant in said supply-cylinder, a lid detachably secured to said reservoir-container, a. leverarm pivotally connected with said lid and pivot-.

ally connected with said piston-rod for stressing said spring, a flexible hose connected to the outlet of said supply-cylinder, a manually operable high-pressure pump connected to the other end of said hose, said high-pressure pump having a high-pressure cylinder-bore therein, said hose being connected with the inlet of the high-pressure cylinder-bore, a check valve at the inlet end of the high-pressure cylinder-bore limiting the direction of the flow to the direction from the hose into the cylinder-bore, said check valve permitting flow of lubricant at all times from the low-pressure cylinder to the high-pressure pump except when seated at the inlet end of the highpressure cylinder-bore, an outlet from said cylinder-bore, a spring-tensioned check valve opening outwardly and seated by the spring thereof and adapted to be opened by lubricant-pressure from within the cylinder-bore, a plunger operatively mounted within said cylinder-bore, and a second lever-arm pivotally connected with the body of said high-pressure pump and bearing against said plunger; the relationship between the effective area of said spring-tensioned outwardlyopening check valve and the energy of the spring thereof, on the one hand, and the relationship between the effective area of the piston in said supply-cylinder and the energy of the spring thereof, on the other hand, being such that said outwardly-opening check valve will not berunseated by the lubricant-pressure created within said cylinder-bore by the spring in said supplycylinder, even when said spring is stressed to the maximum, and so that said outwardly-opening check valve will be unseated only by the increased lubricant-pressure created by the manual operation of said plunger, through the lever-arm thereof, or by the increased lubricant-pressure created by the manipulation of the lever-arm which is on said lid to augment the lubricantpressure created by the supply-spring.

2. A lubricant-dispenser including a lubricantstorage reservoir-container, a manually primed and spring-discharged low-pressure supply-cylinder disposed within said reservoir-container and having an outlet exterior thereto, a piston and a piston-rod within said supply-cylinder, a tension supply-spring urging said piston and piston-rod in a direction tending to expel any lubricant in said supply-cylinder, a lid detach ably secured to said reservoir-container, a leverarm pivotally connected with said lid and pivotally connected with said piston-rod for stressing said supply-spring, a flexible hose connected to the outlet of said supply-cylinder, a manual y operable high-pressure pump connected to the other end of said hose, said high-pressure pump having a high-pressure cylinder-bore therein, said hose being connected with the inlet of the high-pressure cylinder-bore, a check valve limiting the direction of flow to the direction from the hose into the cylinder-bore, an adjustable spring for determining the pressure at which said check valve will open, an outlet from said cylinder-bore, a spring-tensioned check valve open;

ing outwardly and adapted to be opened by fluidpressure from within the cylinder-bore, a spring urging said check valve into closed position, externally-operable adjusting means for varying thetension of said spring and thereby varying the fluid-pressure at which said check valve will open, a plunger operatively mounted within sa d cylinder-bore, and a second lever-arm pivotally connected to the body of said high-pressure pump and bearing against said plunger: the relationship between the effective area of said sprin tensioned outwardly-opening check valve and the force of the spring thereof, on the one hand, and the relationship between the effective area of the piston in said supply-cylinder and the force of the spring thereof, on the other hand, bein such that said outwardly-opening check valve will not be unseated by the fluid-pressure created within said cylinder-bore by the spring in said supplycylinder, even when said supply-spring is stressed to the maximum, so that said outwardly-opening check valve will be unseated only by increased fluid pressure of predeterminable amount. l

3. A lubricant dispenser including a lubricant container having a base and anopen upper end:

a lid closing said open end; a Dump having a cylinder, piston-rod and piston, the upper end of the pump-cylinder being secured to said lid with the piston-rod extending above the lid, the lower end of the pump-cylinder being valved and being within the container near the bottom thereof when the lid is on the container; a lever-arm pivoted upon the lid and pivotally connected with the upper end of the piston-rod; a tension spring; the lever-arm extending beyond the sides of the container and having means at its free end for releasably connecting with the upper end of the tension spring; and means on the container base for anchoring the lower end of the tension spring; the parts being so arranged that lubricant in the pump-cylinder is discharged by downward movement of the piston and piston-rod; the lubricant in the hose being put under constant compression by the reaction of the tension spring when connected as aforesaid.

4. A booster pump for lubricant-dispensing apparatus consisting of a generally tubular body having an inlet opening at one end adapted for the reception of a connector for a lubricant hose; a high-pressure chamber formed in the body; a check valve in the high-pressure chamber at the end which is nearer the inlet opening, said check valve closing in the direction of the inlet opening; a plunger slidably mounted in the high-pressure chamber; a, compression coil spring within the high-pressure chamber and acting upon the plunger to tend to move it out of the highpressure chamber; sealing means associated with said plunger; a lever-arm pivoted upon the body; means on the lever-arm for directly engaging the outer end of the plunger; a tubular valve-housing providing an outlet conduit for lubricant and open at one end to the high-pressure chamber to which it is secured; a springactuated check-valve in the valve-housing and closing toward the high-pressure chamber; and means adjustable from outside the valve-housing to regulate the amount of lubricant pressure which will lift the check-valve in the valve- 50 housing.

5. A booster pump for lubricant-dispensing apparatus consisting of a generally tubular body having an inlet opening at one and adapted for the reception of a connector for a lubricant hose:

u a high-pressure chamber formed in the body; a check valve in the high-pressure chamber at the end which is nearer the inlet opening, said check valve closing in the direction of the inlet opening: a plunger slidably mounted in the high- 60 pressure chamber; a compression coil spring within the high-pressure chamber and acting upon the plunger to tend to move it out of the high-pressure chamber; sealing means associated with said plunger; an L-shaped lever-arm pivoted upon the body at a point slightly offset from the axis of the high-pressure chamber; a pin on the lever arm adjacent the pivot thereof and directly engaging the outer end of the plunger; said plunger being moved inwardly against the resistance of said coil spring when the leverarm is swung inwardly or toward the body: a

tubular valve-housing providing an outlet conduit for lubricant and secured at one end to the high-pressure chamber between the inlet open- 16 ing and the plunger; 9. spring-actuated checkvalve in the valve-housing and closing toward the high-pressure chamber; and :top means on the lever-arm normally engaging the valvehousing to hold the lever-arm in convenient position for grasping by the hand, and to hold the plunger inside the body.

6. 'A booster pump for lubricant-dispensing apparatus consisting of a generally tubular body having an inlet end to which a lubricant hose is adapted to be connected; a high-pressure chamber formed in the tubular body; a check valve within the high-pressure chamber which seats in the direction of the inlet end of the tubular body; a lever orhandle which is generally L- shaped and is pivotally mounted on the tubular body; a link pivoted to the lever or handle and also pivoted to the tubular body to provide said pivotal mounting; a thrust pad on the lever or handle near its pivotal mounting. said thrust pad having a socket therein; a slidable plunger 20 pressure chamber and acting against said plunger g 2,172,136

5 charge of lubricant, secured to the tubular body between the piston and the check-valve; and

: spring-seated check-valve in the outlet con- RUSSELL J. GRAY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,086,819 Gross Feb. 10, 1914 1,621,172 MacKenzie Mar. 15, 1927 1,646,418 Opitz Oct. 25, 1927 1,697,234 Foyle Jan. 1, 1929 1,715,522 Townsend et al June 4, 1929 1,751,323 Gray Mar. 18, 1930 1,883,280 Zerk Oct. 18, 1932 1,995,377 Creveling Mar. 26, 1935 Davis Sept. 5, 1939 

